Chapter 6: Mind Games
One top of the roof, Cole and Cassie looks down at the people that were in pain and at the fountain that was spewing up black tar, "Not looking good, Moya. Sick people all over the place, and the water in the fountain is black." Cole inform the agent. "All right, get over there. We need to find a way to stop this." she informs them, Cole ends the call and then Cassie grips his arm, making him look at her "Cass?" he asks her, "She's down there Cole." she states and Cole looks down and saw that she was looking at Cole's ex-girlfriend. Trish as she was treating the wounded as best as she can.
Cole then felt guilt in his stomach as Cassie was feeling the same thing as well, "Come on, lets just focus on the mission." he tells her, she nods and they both jump down and walk over to the fountain, they heal the people, burning out the tar inside their bodies, "C'mon, breath! Breath!" Trish said to the wounded person, then they two walk up to her, "What are you doing here?" she snaps at the two and Cassie grips her arm and looks away, "Moya wanted us to see what's going on with the fountain." Cole answers her, "Who's Moya?" Trish questions him, "Don't matter." he answers her. And she looks away.
"Look Trish, I know what that guy said about me and Cassie." he start and she glare back up at him, "My sister is dead because of you both!" she shouts making Cassie flinch a little at her voice. "Cassie had nothing to do with that package, she just got caught in the blast. But I swear to you Trish, I didn't know what was in that package." Cole tries to get it through her head.
"I don't want to hear it. You want to help? Fine, you can start by closing that valve over there – it's jammed and I can't turn it. That's how the black tar is getting into the fountain." Trish informs them, then Cassie looks down at the wounded man and then kneels down next to him, Trish glares at her but Cassie did her best to ignore her, and raise her hand a little as electricity cracks in her palm, "Don't even think about it." Trish warns her.
But Cassie held her hand to the man's chest and send a pulse through him, the man gasp in air as Cassie quickly moves away and fell into Cole's grasp as he grips her shoulders and then the man sat and looks up at her, "Thank you." he tells her, she nods at him, "Come on, Cass." Cole states and turns he away from the two as Trish looks over the man, seeing if he had any injuries. Then two grip the valve, "On three." he states, Cassie nods, "One… two… three…" he states and they started to turn the valve, closing the pipes, but then black tar shot out at them, "Ahhh!" they both shout as their vision was now blurring and seeing colors.
"It's all over your eyes – I need to get a solvent out of my car. Follow me." Trish states as she was standing in front of them, but her voice echoed as they followed her down the ramp. "I've been watching you, Cole. Waiting for this moment. Anticipating it." a woman's voice echos through her head, Cassie scream a little as she saw giant Reapers in front of them. Trish looks at her, "Cassie what are you screaming about?" Trish questions her.
"Who… are you…?" Cassie whispers, "Who… doing this…" Cole questions, Trish rolls her eyes, then started to jog again. The two followed her, "She hates you. Loathes you, your power frightens her. She'll never love you." the woman's voice echos in their head as they turn down the alley. "I can make you forget about her. Everything you shared, gone like a whisper. No more pain, no more heartache." the woman whispers to Cole, but Cassie could hear her too.
"This way." Trish calls out to them and the followed, but they stop as they saw Reapers in front of them, Cassie closed he eyes, shook her head and opens them, seeing that the Reapers were gone, "You… not… real…" Cole states as he fights hers, "You're mine. Body and soul. We'll be together. Always." she said in a sinister way. Cassie grips the sides of her head as Cole shook his, "…no… stop it… get out!" Col fights her.
"Get out… of my… head…" Cassie fights her as well as she covers her ears and that walk to Trish car. "This isn't possible… you're like him. Refusing to do as you're told. I will not be rejected again." she said as she was furious at them. They saw more Reapers making them stop, but they were gone in a flash and walk again as they were closer, but the two collapse onto the ground and they were out like a light.
~8~8~8~
Trish then shakes a spray can of solvent, "Hold still." she orders and then sprays it all over their eyes, Cassie then started to cough as Cole inhales. "Thanks." he tells her, then stood up and helps Cassie to her feet, "That's the only time I'm helping you, Cole. If you get that stuff on you again, you're just going to have to wait for it to wear off." she tells them as she walks off and was gone.
Cassie sighs and said down on the divisors, then rubs her head, "Oh God that was awful." she moans Cole sat down as well, holding his head, "Having someone else inside your head like that, trying to control you, yeah, that's pretty weird." Cole agrees with her. "I think that was Sasha." she mutters and he looks at her, "Makes sense, but why is she so obsess with me?" he questions.
Cassie shrugs "Don't know, but hopefully, one of John's dead drops can help us on that." she tells him, then they both stood up. "Took care of the fountain, Moya. Had to shut off the feeder pips that led into it." Cole informs the agent. "There are two more water mains in the area." she informs them, "Gotcha. We'll turn those off those off and see what happens." Cole answers her and turns off the call.
~8~8~8~
They ran into the park and climb on top of lamp posts, "Cole, Reapers are guarding the valves, making sure no one gets to them." Cassie informs him and Cole held up his hand and electricity cracks over it. "Then, why don't we take care of them?" he states and then the two jump down and then ran onto the bridge from both sides. Then fired at the Reapers and took them out, the two then jump down and ran to the valve, "You ready for this?" he asks her, and she looks at him, "Having someone else inside my head that's completely and insanely obsess with you? Sure, why the hell not." she sarcastly states and they both grip the valve and started to turn it.
Then black tar shot out from the pipe and hits them in the face, "Uh – sonofa…" Cole growls. "Ahh, my eyes! My eyes!" Cassie cries out as their vision blurred again. "I feel your broken heart, Cole. So mush emotion, bottled up with nowhere to go. Why do you love her? She's beneath you. You deserve better." Sasha tries to seduce him, but they shook their head, "Uh… just… shut up…" he snaps back at her. "Can it… fucking… psychopath." Cassie mutters and they fired at the Reapers.
"You're all alone you know. No one care about you. Not the girl, not the fat man on the roof, not the woman under the bridge, not even little Cassie." she states making Cassie skin crawl. "Only I love you. I've always loved you, Cole. Now and forever." she states and they both growl as they grip onto the bridge legs and climb up them then fires at the Reapers below them. "Ugh, for God's sake… get out!" she shouts at her and threw a shock grenade at them, blow them up.
Then they both jump down, ran to a lamp post and trains it of it's electricity, then ran to the next valve and stood in front of it. -If I turn that valve, Cass and I will take another blast to the face, sending us on another mind trip, or I cam make this guy do it for us.- Cole states as one f the pedestrians were shaking in fear of the Reapers, but Cassie exhales and grips the valve.
"Ready." she tells him and he looks at her in surprise. Then went with it and they started to turn the valve and were blasted in the face by the tar and their vision blurred. "You won't be able to shut me out forever, Cole. I know that little Cassie is hearing me as well and I will enjoy ripping her mind to shreds. Eventually, a crack will appear and that crack will spread, and grow larger, and then the wall comes down. It's only a matter of time." Sasha tells them and then their vision clear.
Cassie then coughs, "I need to sit down for a moment." she mutters and did so, then Cole calls out Moya, "Now that the valves are off, you need to figure out how those manics are getting those tar into the system. The only primary waterline around there is under memorial park – head to the tunnel and look for it." she orders them and Cole hung up and looks down at Cassie as she was holding her head, "It's still uncomfortable, having her inside my head like that." she states and Cole held his hand out her her and she looks up at him.
her face was splattered in tar, "That makes the two of us." he started as he's face was splattered as well. "Come on, lets take care of this and be done with it." he states and Cassie took his hand and lets him pull herself back up.
They dust themselves off and the ran out of the park and were in front of the tunnel. "You don't know love, not true love. But I will teach you. And then the bastard will see what he lost." Sasha echos through their head, Cassie shook her head and blocks her out. Then they both jump into the tunnel and fired at the Reapers, but minded the people that were in the tunnel as well.
They even took out a conduit Reaper and the rest, but then their vision started to blur again they then saw the giant Reapers that fired at them and the two fired back, "Not real. They're not real." Cassie mutters to herself.
But she fired at them along with Cole and the ran through the tunnel, then their vision clear and the fired at real Reapers, taking out the conduit and the remaining Reapers, then Cassie looks at the trunk as Cole then calls Moya back up, "There's a truck attach to the pipe down here." Cole informs her, "That's probably the source of their plague. Destroy it." she orders them and they both throw shock grenades at it and then blew up the trunk and it detach from the pipe.
"What the hell is that stuff?" Cole asks as the stayed a good distance form the tar, "Some kind of mind-control agent. It appears to be organic, bit I don't know they're producing it." she Moya states as Cole places his arm on Cassie's shoulders, "Yeah well, sure did a number on me and Cass. We're heading back to Zeke's – my head is killing me." Cole states as he then ended the call.
Then they both walk out of the tunnel and were back outside, "Ugh, I hate the Reaper so much." Cassie whines as then both her and Cole slum against the wall and sat down. "Tell me about it." he states, then Cassie held up her forefinger. "One more mission then we head back to Zeke's?" she asks him, he looks at her and sighs. "Sure, why not." he answers and they both stand up and took off.
~8~8~8~
The two look around and then saw a man standing in the alley and the ran up to him, "I think I saw one of those Reaper trunks over there, you should do something about it." he informs them, they nod and took off running. They ran through the tunnel and then to the moving trunk as the Reaper fired at them, "Cass, you get the trunk, I got them!" Cole shouts and then he fores at them, letting out all the skill he had at them, as Cassie focus on the trunk.
She threw shock grenades at it and mange to damage it, then she ran to Cole, "You finish it off, I got your back." she tells him, Cole nods at her and ran to the trunk as she fires at the remaining Reapers, taking them out as Cole blew up the trunk and helps her take out the Reapers, then they pants as they were exhausted. "Back to Zeke's?" Cassie asks, Cole nods at him, "Yeah, back to Zeke's. Lets go." he tells her.
Then they started to walk back, but Cassie was so tired after a long night of helping people, she yawns in her hand and Cole looks at her, "Tired?" he asks her, she nods at him and rubs her eye. "Come on." he states and then pulls her onto his back. She places her hands on his shoulder and was starting to fall asleep. "I'll carry you back, rest all you want." he tells her, she smiles a little and then scums to sleep. Cole smiles at her and then started to walk.
~8~8~8~
He arrives at the area where Zeke's roof is and Cassie flutters her eyes open, "Hey." Cole said her and she sat up, "We there yet?" she asks him, "Just about." he answers and set her back onto her feet. "Think you're up for climbing?" he asks her, she stretches and cracks her knuckles, "Lets do this." she states and they both started to climb.
Then arrives on the roof where Zeke was chilling. "You can't turn that Ray Sphere over to the feds, man." Zeke informs them, and they both look at him, "Do we have a choice?" Cole asks him as he cross his arms. "Man alive, do you know what they'll do with something like that? Especially of the Pentagon is wrapped up in all of this? It's an ultimate weapon!" Zeke tells them. The two exchange looks and look back at him, "And what's your suggestion, Jedediah? We hide it under your couch?" Cole asks him.
"Only my momma calls me Jedediah, but that's not important right now. Listen, I say we crack that baby open and give everyone powers." Zeke tells him and Cassie crosses her arms as she shifts her weight, "But Zeke, thousands of people died just so Cole and I could have powers and if we do that, a thousand more will die as well, I'd say we destroy it, so no one can use the Ray Sphere ever again." Cassie states and Zeke looks at her.
"But think about it, it's the only way to make sure we don't get screwed." Zeke tells them and Cassie scratches the back of her ear and Cole sighs "Yeah, I think we're already screwed."
~8~8~8~
"Everyman is guilty of all the good he did not do." -Voltaire
The Morning came and Cole groans awake, he sat up and looks over at Cassie, we was leaning against the other couch arm of the couch and her legs were curled up under her. Cole then stood up and stretches then looks at Cassie and then shook her shoulder, "Hey Cass, it's time to wake up." he tells her, she flutters her eyes open and then stretches on the couch and stood up.
"Morning Cole." she mutters as she was waking up. "I've flagged the position of the next substation in your GPS, Cole." Moya informs him as she called them, "Uh, shouldn't me and Cass be hunting for the Ray Sphere?" he asks her, "You need to look at the big picture: every time you and Cassandra electricity at a section of the city, your power escalates. I'd say that a valuable use of your time." she informs him.
"I'll be in touch once you get the substation back online." she states and then hung up. "Still don't like her." Cassie states as she was fully awake. Cole chuckles and walks to the edge, "Come on lets just get to the sewers." he tells her and jumps down, Cassie sighs then jogs over to the edge and jumps as well.
~8~8~8~
They arrive at the dead end and then climb up to a roof and look at the black out area, "You ready?" Cole asks her and she looks at him, "No." she answers and Cole pats her back, "Lets go." she states and they both jump onto the power-line and ran along it and were in the blackout area, "Ugh… my head…" she moans as she jumps onto the roof and they ran along them.
They avoided the turrets and the other Reapers as they then saw the entrance to the sewers under the train bridge, "You go first." Cole states and she shook her head, "No way, you go first." she throws back at him, "Ladies first." he jesters but she glares at him, "I am not a lady yet, I am still a kid." she throws at him. "Elders first." she throws back at him, now it was his turn to glare at her.
"You're not funny." he states as she giggles. "I'd like to think I am." she states then jumps down, "Hey, wait up." Cole calls out to her, she then walks over to the lid and then Cole manages to catch up with her, he then opens the lid, Cassie jumps down, then Cole follows her.
~8~8~8~
They both land in the sewers and saw the circuits not far from them, "Hey Moya, Cass and I are down in the sewers. Should have the power back on in no time." Cole informs her, "Roger." she states and they both ran to the circuits and then Cassie grips a hold of the of the dead circuits and then Cole jumps up in between them and re-establish the circuits. Cassie throw back her head her vision went white.
She should see herself gliding along the power lines at a much faster rate, she was even reaching buildings ever faster and attacking her enemies head on; Cassie then pulls her head back and exhales as Cole jumps back down and they look over at the power line, "Lets do this." he states and then they both jumps over and glided across the water and into the small tunnel. "Dude." Zeke calls them, "Hey." Cole answers as the two glided across the way. "Have you been paying attention to that TV jacker lately?" he asks them, making to two stop, "No, I was avoiding him, so I don't have to listen to what lies he was spewing out." Cassie answers him.
"Used to think he was pretty righteous, but now he spends half his time trashin' the both of you. Makes me think you should pay him a visit." Zeke informs them and they both exhales and glide again, across the way. "Believe me, I'd love to. No idea where he's hiding, though." Cole states as Cassie jumps into the smaller platform and kicks the Reaper it and he falls into the sewage.
"Probably hold up in the old TV station over in the Historic district. You find him, give him a taste of the good stuff. He's gonna learn not to run his mouth all the time." Zeke informs them. Then he hung up, the two conduit then glided, climb and blast their way through the sewers and can through another tunnel. Then they saw the substation in front of them, Cole walks along the pipes and then jumps down onto the platform. Cassie followed as he fires at the panel and powers the substation back online.
~8~8~8~
Cassie opens the lid and pulls herself out and held the lid up as Cole then pulls himself out as well, she then drops the lid then dust off her hands, "I'm surprise I can stand the smell of sewers." she states and Cole looks at her, "Yeah, I'm surprise as well." he states and dust off his arms and legs.
Then they look up and saw the power to most of the Neon District was restored, "Good work, Cole. Cassandra, when you're ready. I've got a couple of things I'd like the both of you to look into. One of them might lead us to John." Moya informs then and Cole hung up.
"But in the end, it's all worth it." she states as she cross her arms, Cole smirks a little and places his arms on her shoulder and leans against her a little. "It always is." he states, she looks at him and held her hist to him, "Pound it?" she states and he chuckles then press his fist to hers, "Pound it."
~8~8~8~
Cole then climbs up and looks at the satellite, Cassie followed him as he started to drain it and then he races across the area, linking up the other satellites. Cassie followed as close as she could keep out with him and then he uplinks the last satellite then Zeke calls him.
"Did you know there's a Cole and Cassandra fan club? I swear the people around here have a lot of free time." Zeke informs him and Cassie giggles a little at him.
Cole smirks and turns off his the call, he then looks at Cassie and they both jump off the roof of the building and took off down the alley.
~8~8~8~
They ran into a back alley and saw Reaper trying to check down a person, then the two ran up to them and Cassie delivered her knee right in the back of one of the Reapers head, she then rolls forward and pulls herself to her feet, then pushes the man away, "Go, Run! Go!" she tells him and he didn't blink twice.
The Reapers went to gun him down, but Cole fires at them from behind and Cassie delivered her fist right into their faces, nailing them both. She looks down at the Reapers and dust her hands off. Then she saw a cop waving at them and she ran up to him, Cole notices her taking off then he follows her as she jumps up over the railing and stood in front of the officer.
Cole jumps over as well and stood next to Cassie, "Reapers have planted a bomb on the police station – it could goes off in any time. You need to defuse it." he informs then. They both nodded at him and took off out of the alley and ran down the street to the station, following the cop.
They arrive there and looks at the bomb, -Huh, this bomb could go off any second, I could drain it and try to defuse it, or I could walk away and let it blow up.- Cole tells himself, but he held out his hands and then started to drain the bomb of it's electric energy.
It then fell apart and Cassie exhales with relief, "Thank you, that bomb could of killed a lot of people." the cop informs them, Cole looks at him and then he and Cassie walks off. "Were you going to let that thing blow?" Cassie asks him, he looks at her, smiles and pats her head. "Of course not." he states and she just glares at him, "Why don't I believe you?" she asks him, he just places his arm on her shoulder and they both walk off.
~8~8~8~
Cassie sat on the roof and looks out at Empire City, she dangles her legs off the edge and just swings them back and forth. Cole had ran off to Zeke for relax for a few hours after all the running they had to do. "Hey! Hey you! Cassie!" a woman calls out to her, she looks down and saw a woman waving at her, so Cassie pushes herself off the ledge and fall about 3 stories and drops down onto her feet and walks up to the woman.
"The Reapers are moving one of their trunks near here – it's passing through the alley, right now!" the woman informs her and Cassie looks out and saw the trunk. "Alright, I can do this." she mutters and ran out to the alley.
The Reapers notice her and then saw her ran right at them and they fires at her, but she threw out shock grenades, damaging the trunk a bit and taking out a few Reapers a long the way. She then dodges the rocket that was fired at her. Then she quickly drain an outlet, dodges the rocket again, she was getting annoyed with the rocket and she sent a shockwave, making him fly out and smack down onto the ground and then throws shock grenades at the trunk, taking it out.
She smirks to herself and then dust off her hands and walks out of the alley, "Hey!" another person calls out to her, she stops and turns to her, seeing the woman running at her, then points off into the distance.
Cassie got her message and then took off running and another all, seeing three Reapers aiming at a person, she whistles at them. Making them looks at her as she was leaning against the wall. "Hey, how are ya?" she asks them and then the took off away from the man and fires at her, she send out a shockwave and send them flying back then she fires at him and they hit the ground and were dead. The man ran u to her and claps for her.
She just smiles at him and walks off. But as she exits the alley she saw Reapers standing there. She huff to herself. "You got to be kidding me." she mutters and raise up her hand, electricity cracks over it and she throw shock grenades onto them. Then she sent a shockwave out and threw them a far ways out and they all blew up.
Cassie smirks to herself and walks off, but then Cole lands in front of her, making her stop and she looks at him in surprise. "Cole!" she exclaims Cole stood up and he cross his arms, "Cassie." he states.
"I can explain, a woman ask me to help and I did, taking out the reapers and trunk, then another one came to me and ask me for help and I did taking out those Reapers." she went one explaining everything to him, he just nods at her saying 'uh-huh'. Then places his arm on her shoulders and they both walk off.
~8~8~8~
Cassie was sulking as she thought she was in trouble, but then they saw a man waving at them and then they walk up to him. "The Reapers are grabbing people in the park. Over there – hurry!" the man tells them.
They nodded at him and dash over to the park, up the stairs and to the reapers and they split up Cassie climbs up to the top of the walk through, then threw a bolt at the Reaper conduit, railing him right in the head and they all turn and look at her, "Hi." she states with a smile, waving at them. The Reapers aim their guns at her. "Wait!" she calls out, putting her hands out.
They stop "Listen… do you rally want to do that? You know how this is going to play out, right?" she asks them and they were confused.
Behind them, Cole slowly walks up to them, one of them predestines turn and looks at him and in shock. But Cole puts his finger to his lips, telling him to stay quiet and the man nods at him. Then Cole waves his hand towards him, signaling him and the others walk quietly towards him, the man gets the others to follow as Cassie was distracting the other Reapers. "I mean, I have electric powers and you have guns and puke up tar, doesn't that seem a little strange to you?" she asks him as she saw the last people was gone the steps and Cole nods at her. "And for that note I bid you all farewell." she states and jumps off the roof and out of sight, then Cole taps one of the Reaper's shoulder and he turns to him, "Hey, how are ya doing?" Cole asks him, then socks him in the face, the two other Reapers fired him.
But Cole fought back using his fist and his feet, but then he looks over and saw a rocket flying right at him and he back-flips out of the way and looks at the Reaper, but then before he could fire again, he jerk a bit and fell forward and standing behind him was Cassie as he held her hand out and electricity was cracking over her arm.
Cole stood up and dust himself off and walks over to her, "Thanks for that, but I had it totally under control." he tells her, she lowers her arm and giggles a little at him, "Yeah, I know. But couldn't help myself." she tells him. Cole chuckles as he lightly taps her shoulder.
~8~8~8~
Cole walks down one street and healed wounded people as Cassie was running down another street, healing a few people as well. Then a Reaper fires down at her, but she dodges him and Cole fires up at him.
Nailing him in the face then they both saw a medic waving at them, then walk across the street to him and both cross their arms. "Some deranged manics are busting up my clinic. Can you do something about them? Please, you got to chase them down and get my supplies back." the medic asks them, they both nodded at him and took off down the street.
They saw three Reaper taking off in different directions and so the two of the conduits split up and chase them down. Cassie makes sharp turns in the alleys and then send a shockwave out and send the Reaper flying and he drops the medical package. Cassie ran up to it and places it back in her pocket. Cole chase the Reaper down then send his foot into the back of the Reaper's back and was send flying forward. The package drops and Cole picks it up and places it in his pack and took of down the alley. But Cassie and Cole arrive at the alley and saw three Reapers were waiting for them, the two send out shockwaves and make the Reapers fly back.
Cole ran up and took a hold of the package and places it in his pack, then they ran out of the alley and back down the street and back to the Medic and hand him the packages. "Thank you I can save a lot of lives with theses." he tells them and then walks over to the warehouse where the makeshift clinic was at.
The two high-five each other and then Cole's phone went off. "Now this is just ridiculous. You and Cass clean up a neighborhood and everyone takes to the streets, dancin' and struttin'. I try to tell them I'm your right hand man, but do they care? no. gotta get me some powers, man." Zeke states and then hung up, Cassie frowns.
"I don't think the Ray Sphere is meant for something like that." she states, Cole looks at her and places his hand on her head. She looks at him as he was smiling down at her, she couldn't help but smile back at him.